Method of and apparatus for reconditioning waste



Sept, l23, 1930.

"eg 5. PEARCE v mamon or un APPARATUS Fon ncormuoluue um Filed June 28, 1927 Sept. 23, 1930. E s. PE/uaclal y 1,776,293

IETHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR REGONDITIOIIHG WASTE Sept. 23, l1930. E. s. PEARCE v Y A'11773;93

' lnTHoD oF AND APPARATUS Fon RECQNDITIOIIIG 'Asta Filed June 28, 1927 Y 3 Sheets-$leet- 5f vwanoz 35W@ www? Patented Sept. 23, 1930 EET FFICEY EDWIN S. PEARCE, @F NDEANAPOLS, NB'EAN, ASSGNQE T0 RAILWAY SERVECE @t SUPLY CORPORATIGN, F ENDIANAPLIS, NDIANA., A. CQRPRA'IIQN @F ENDK.

METHD @E AND APPARATUS FDR R'EGIQ'DITOHNG WASTE Applicationled time 28, 182'?. Serial lilo., 202,985.

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for reconditioning waste which has been used as a carrier or medium for supplying lubricant to bearings such, for example, as railway journal bearings.

rlhe primary object of the invention is completely to recondition such waste by subjecting it to a disentangling or uing operation and by removing all dirt particles, lint` and short ends of the libres, so that the waste is entirely reitted for use. lt is advantageous major portion of the oil which is transferred,

through a mass of waste froma reservoir to a bearin is carried through the fibres themselves. ibres which areytoo short to extend from the bearing to the reservoir or atleast to a 'point in the mass which is' fairly close to the reservoir, dry out and consequently raise the coefficient of friction of the mass as a whole. v

Another object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus which will accomplish the various disentangling and cleaning steps consecutively without intermediate hand handling. In other words, the apparatus is adapted to receive the waste, in a dirty and matted condition, pass it through the various treating steps and deliver it in a completely reconditioned state.

How the foregoing together with other more particular objects and advantages are obtained will be clear from 'the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiment ofthe apparatus and in which,

Fig. 1 is a side view, partly in elevation and partly in vertical mid section, taken as indicated by the line 1-1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is 'a plan view taken as indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken sulostantially as .indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referrin now to the drawings it will be seen that t e apparatus is built up of separate units, three types being used, as A, ld and C. Any number of units B, (as B1 and B2 shown in the drawings), may be inserted between-units A and C.

The various units are built up adjacent one another on supporting structural work and are provided with suitable se arating walls or partitions and also with sige and top enclosing walls or covers 4 and 5,'respectively.

Unit A is provided with a feed trough 6 which is adapted to deliver the waste onto the screen 7. This screen 7 is given a vertical jogging or reciprocating motion by means of the cams 8 positioned under each corner of the screen. Rods 9 bear on the cams 8 and transmit` the motion to the screen 7 From inspection of the cams 8, which rotate counterclockwise, it will be seen that their configuration is such as to cause a relatively slow upward movement of the screen and a very rapid drop of the same. Springs 10 are provided at each corner of the screen for augmenting the speed of drop in order to cause a more sudden shock when the screens downward movement is arrested. The cams 8 are mounted on' shafts 1.1 which are provided with sprockets 12. A chain 1'3 engages both ofthe sprockets 12. i

Above the screen 7 I provide two shafts 14 and 15 each of which carries two sets of eccentrics 16 and 17. The eccentrics in the sets on each shaft are spaced alternately therealong and extend toward opposite sides of the shaft. The eccentrics on the two shafts are mounted in corresponding positif ns, that is, in pairs, and each pair carries a toothed feeder plate 18.l The shafts 14 and 15 are linked together by the sprockets 19` and the chain 20 and are driven by a suitable motor 21 through the reduction gearing 22 which is coupled to the shaft 15 as indicated at 23. Thus the feeder plates have a rotary reci rocating motion. Sprocket 24, chain 25 an sprocket 26 serve to drive the cams8 in synchronous relation to the movement of the feeder plates 18. The diameter of the sprocket 24 is twice that of the sprocket 26 so that the screen 7 will bek given two shaking motions during each revolution of the shafts 14 and 15 or one between the pushing motion of each set of feeder plates.

A dirt collecting pocket 29 is formed below the screen 7 by the plates 27 and 28. A communication 30 is provided between the pocket or chamber 29 and the duct 31 (see Fig. 3).

Below the pocket 29 I provide a 'series of heating tubes 32 which are supplied with steam from the pipe 33 through the connection 34. A return connection 35 discharges condensate from the tubes back into the pipe 33. A fan 36 which is driven by a turbine 37 drives air over the-heating coils 32. A baille 38 directs the air from the fan through the entire length of the tubes. An air duct39 is formed between the plate 28 and the curved sheet 40. This duct is of a wide and thin configuration and is provided with a nozzle 41 which is adaptedto discharge the air upwardly and toward the adjacent unit B of the apparatus from a point just below and beyond the edge of the screen 7. A sloping discharge sheet 42 is positioned between the edge of the screen 7 and the nozzle 41 in order to prevent the waste from falling into the pocket 29 as it passes from the screen sheet 50 and the curved baffle 51, a guiding' channel for the air blast received from unit' into unit B.

A cylindrical screen 43 is provided in each unit B. This screen is mounted between two heads 44 which are keyed to the shaft 45. The shaft is preferably mounted in roller bearings 46 and is driven by any suitable motor 47 through the reduction gearing 48. A sheet 49 slopes upwardly from below the nozzle 41 of unit A to about the middleof the screen 43 and` forms, together with the A. The baffle 51 is mounted on the shaft 45 within the cylindrical screen 43 and is held in position by the counterweight 52. A screen 53 extends from the center of the top of each unit B to a point just above the dirt collecting pocket 54 formed above the sheet of the adjacent unit B.

The construction below the cylindrical screen of unit B, including that of the pocket 29, duct 39, fan 36, pipes 32, baiiie 38 and turbine motor 37, is identical in every respect with the corresponding construction described in connection with unit A.

Each unit B is provided with a slope sheet 73, between its cylindrical screen 43 and its nozzle 41, which is adapted to 'deliver the waste to the sheet 49 of the adjacent unit B 'or to the sheet 55 of unit C.

At one end of each dirt Vcollecting trough or pocket 54 I provide a connection 57 which communicates with the housing 56. Each housing in turn communicates with the passage 30 of the unit in question.

A screen 58 is pivoted at 58a to the sheet of the unit C. It is supported at its other side by cams 59 similar in construction to those of unit A. These cams 59 are mounted on a shaft 60 and impart a shaking motion to the screen 58 through the rods 61. Springs 62 are also provided, for the purpose of increasing the shock or impact when the downward movement of the screen 58 is arrested. This screen carries a delivery table 63 from which the waste may be removed from the apparatus. Unit C is provided with a dirt collecting pocket 54, identical with those of units B, and also with corresponding passages 56 and 57. A pocket 29 and passage 30 are also provided for removing dirt from beneath the screen 58. A curved air blast baflie plate 72 is positioned above the screen 58.

A motor 64 drives the cam shaft 60 through the chain and sprocket connection 65.

Steam is supplied to the turbine motors through the pipes 66, and exhausts therefrom through the connections 67 into the pipe 33. The end 68 of the pipe 33 turns downwardly and communicates with some suitable vent and drain.

The motors 37 and all the steam piping and connections are housed within the common enclosure 69 which is provided at one end with a screen 70 through which air is drawn to the fans 36, it being understood, of course, that the air intakes 71 of the fans communicate with the interior of the housing- 69.

Waste which has been used for lubricatin purposes in bearings, such as railway journa bearings, ordinarily comprises a matted and tangled mass of cotton and/orwool libres.

This mass may contain moisture and dirt particles, such as cinders, sand, gravel and small pieces of bearing and other metals. The mass may alsocontain a substantial quantity of short ends which were broken from the fibres in service. Beside these extraneous substances, the waste, as it is taken from the journal, contains a considerable quantity of oil.

In order to recondition the waste it is advantageous first to remove the oil from the waste. This may be done in some suitable manner as by putting the waste into a centrifugal separator.

Certain diificulties have been encountered in methods and apparatus heretofore used for reconditioning waste of the character in question. Those outstanding, are the diiiculty encountered in removing dirt from the cleaning chambers and the diiculties resulting from the entangling action incident to the dirt removing operations.

I overcome these and other di'iculties by 130 Y free of oil, is placed on the feed chute 6 and fed onto the screeny 7. The feeder plates 18 serve to reduce the matted condition of the waste, to agitate it and turn it over on the screen and to advance it toward the slope sheet 42. A substantial quantity of the heavy dirt particles are removed from the waste as it is agitated and turned in its movelnent across the screen by the screens reciprocating or jogging motion. These dirt particles fall down through the screen into the pocket 29 from where they may be re moved through the passage 30 and the duct 31.

The waste now passes across thesheet 42 from where it is blown' or impacted'against the cylindrical screen 43 of vunit B by the blast of heated air received fromfthe fan 36 through the nozzle 41. particles and also short ends of fibres to be disengaged from the waste and falldownwardly inside the cylinder 43 from where they drop through the screen into the collecting pocket 29. The cylindrical screen revolves in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. l and aids the air blast in passing the waste upwardly and forwardly against the screen 53. A Still more dirt particles and short ends are removed at this point. These pass forwardly into the pocket 54 formed above the sheet 50 of the adjacent unit B or'C.

It is to be noted that this arrangement of the screens in unit B is very eHective in removing dirtand short ends from the waste.

, The air blast delivered from the nozzle 41 is directed upwardly -against the screen 43 and is directed by the plate 50 and the baille 51 through the screen'53. The waste is fed into this blast from the sheet 41 in relatively small masses and is carried with the blast against the screen 43, over this screen, and is screened out of the current or blast of air by the screen 53 from which it drops 'onto the sheet 7 3. Thus Y the air current continuously removes dirt land short ends from relatively small masses of waste and serves to carry theseforeign substances away from the Waste and out of the cleaning chambers.

The waste falls on the slope sheet 73 'and y is blown by the fan 36 of unit B into an adjamay still remain in the waste.

cent unit B or into unit C.

In unit C the waste lis blown upwardly against the curved deiiector plate 72 and falls onto the screen 58 where it receives the finall shaking. The air blast from the adjacent unit B is deiiected'downwardly and passes thru the waste on the screen 58 carrying with it any extraneous matter or short ends which These are blown out thru the passage-36 and the duct 31 as in the preceding units.

The waste may now be removed from the This causes more dirt i delivery table 63 or it may be fed directly into some suitable apparatus for re-impregnation with-oil.

Any number o-f units B may be interposed serially between a unit A and a unit C. The number necessary for thoroughly reconditioning thev waste depends entirely on its general condition; that is, the amount of dirt, moisture and short ends which it contains.

The blasts of heated air which drive the waste through the apparatus completely evaporate any moisture which the waste may contain.

It is to be noted that the heating tubes 32 receive steam from the exhaust of the turbine motors 37 and thus have a heating capacity 'which is substantially directly proportionalto the speed at which the motors and fans are running. Therefore the temperature of the air passing' through the apparatus is maintained substantially constant regardless of'the speed of the fans 36. This is important, as it is 'desirable that the temperature of the air should remain relatively high in order more thoroughly to dry out any moisl ture which may be present in the waste. It is to be understood, of course, that it is desirable to provide a control for the air blasts, because, for the most efficient operation, they should be varied according to the condition of the waste being treated and also according to the rate of operation o-f the apparatus.

As the steam passes downwardly through the series of tubes 32 it condenses and is trapped in the lower tubes from where the condensate passes back into the pipe 33. The condensing and trapping of the steam lin thel pipes 32 creates the necessary draft to cause the steam to pass'from the pipe 33 into the heating coils 32.

In order that the plant may be as efficient as possible, with respect to heat consumption, Ienclose all the` turbine motors and steam piping within a shell 69 and draw air through this shell over the piping and motors in order to reheat it before it is passed to the coils 32.

y invention provides a method and apparatu's which will recondition a given amount of waste much more thoroughly and, ob-

Waste without the necessity of passing these foreign matters through a substantial mass 4short ends and dirt are removed from the i las 1. The method ofremoving foreign matter from used waste which includes passing the waste into an upwardly moving current waste in anupward direction against a screen.

3. In the art of reconditioning waste the step of removing extraneous matter and lint therefrom which consists in blowing the waste in an upward direction against a screen.

4. In the art of reconditioning dirty matted waste the step of removing dirt therefrom which consists in alternately breaking its matted condition and shaking it.

5. In the art of reconditioning waste the steps of removing dirt therefrom which consist in placing the waste on a substantially horizontally disposed screen, in intermittently advancing the waste across the screen, in moving the screen upwardly relatively slowly and in dropping the screen and suddenly arresting its dropping motion. y

6. In apparatus for reconditioning waste the combination of a cylindrical screen, means for driving the same, means for impacting the waste against the outside of said screen, the mesh of said screen being such as to allow dirt particles and lint to pass but to stop the body of waste, together with a dirt and lint collecting pocket below the screen.

7. In apparatus for removing dirt and lint from used waste the combination of a screen and means for impacting the waste in an upward direction against the screen.

8. In apparatus for removing dirt and lint from used waste the combination of a screen and air blast means for impacting the waste in an upward direction against the screen.

9. In apparatus for use in removing dirt and lint from used waste the combination of a cylindrical screen, air blast creating and directing means for impacting the waste against the screen and a dirt collecting pocket below said screen. l

10. In apparatus for use in removing dirt and lint from used waste the combination of a cylindrical screen, air blast creating and directing means for impacting the waste against the screen and a dirt collecting pocket below7 said screen together with means for heating the air.

11. In apparatus for use in removing dirt and lint from used waste the combination of a screen, a fan for creating an air blast for blowing the waste against said screen and means for heating the air.

12. In apparatus for use in removing dirt and lint from used waste the combination of a screen, a fan for creating an air blast for blowingJ the waste against said screen, steam operated motor means for driving said fan and heating tubes receiving the exhaust from said motor means for heating the air.

13. Apparatus for reconditioning waste including waste drying means comprising a fan, an air steam operated motor means for driving the fan and air heating tubes ada-pted to receive the exhaust from said motor means.

14. Apparatus for reconditioning waste including waste drying means comprising an air fan, air heating tubes and means for controlling` the heating capacity of said tubes according to the speed of the driving means.

15. In apparatus for removing dirt and lint from used waste, a chamber, a cylindrical screen in said chamber, means for rotating the screen, means for passing the waste into one side of said chamber, over the screen and out -of the other side of the chamber and a dirt and lint collecting pocket under the screen.

16. In apparatus for removing dirt and lint from used waste, a screen, means for directing an air blast against said screen and means for feeding the waste in relatively small masses into said blast.

17 In apparatus for removing dirt and lint from used waste, a cylindrical screen, means for rotating said screen, a second screen above said cylindrical screen, means for directing an air blast against saidA cylindrical screen, baille means for turning said blast toward said second mentioned screen and means for feeding the waste into said blast.

18. In apparatus for removing dirt and lint from used waste, a cylindrical screen, means for rotating said screen, a second screen above said cylindrical screen, means for directing an air blast against said cylindrical screen, baffle means for turning said blast toward said second mentioned screen and means for feeding the waste into said blast, together with a dirt and lint collecting pocket below said cylindrical screen and a dirt and lint collecting pocket above and to one side of said second mentioned screen.

19. In apparatus for removing dirt and lint from used waste, a substantially horizontally disposed cylindrical screen, means for driving said screen including an axle, a second screen above said first mentioned screen, means for directing a blast of air against said cylindrical screen and baffle means mounted on said axle inside said cylindrical screen for turning said blast toward said second mentioned screen.

20. In apparatus for removing dirt and lint from used waste the combination of a cylindrical screen, means for rotating the screen, a second screen above said cylindrical screen, means for directing an air blast against the cylindrical screen and baille means including a baile plate mounted inside saidv cylindrical screen for directing the blast against said second mentioned screen.

21. Apparatus for use in removing dirt and lint from used waste comprising in combination a screen, means for shaking the screen, a cylindrical screen, means for rotating said cylindrical screen, an air blast directed against said cylindrical vscreen and means for feeding the waste across said first mentioned screen and into said air blast.-

22. Apparatus for use in reconditioning waste comprising in combination a screen, means for shaking the screen, a second screen, means for creating and directing an air blast upwardly against said second screen together with means for feeding the wasteacross said first mentioned screen into said blast.

23. Apparatus for use fin reconditioning Waste comprising in combination, a screen; means for shaking the screen; means for feeding the waste across the screen; a cylindrical screen; means for rotating said c lindrical screen; a third screen, and air last means adjacent said first mentioned screen for impacting the waste against said cylindrical screen and said third screen.

24. Apparatus for use in reconditioning' Waste comprising in combination, a screen; means for shaking the screen; means for feeding the waste across the screen; a cylindrical screen; means for rotating said cylindrical screen; a third screen; air blast means adjacent said first mentioned screen for `impacting the waste against said cylindrical screen and said third screen; a fourth screen with means for shaking it, and means adjacent said cylindrical screen for passing the Waste onto said fourth screen.

25. In apparatus for reconditioning dirty and matted waste the combination of a screen, means for jarring the screen, and means for breaking the matted condition of the waste, said means acting alternately. y

26. In apparatus for removing dirt and lint from used waste, an inclined screen piva screen an oted at its upper edge, means at-its other edge for imparting a shaking movement to said screenY and means for feeding the waste onto and across said screen.

27. In apparatus for removing dirt and lint from used waste, an inclined screen pivoted at its upper edge, means at its other edge for imparting a shaking movement to said screen and means for Jfeeding the waste onto said screen together with means for directing an air blast through the waste on the screen. I

28. Apparatus for reconditioning Waste including was-te drying means comprisinga fan, means for heating the air delivered from the fan and separate means for preheating the air delivered to the fan.

29. In ap aratus for reconditioning waste,

dpcam means at each corner thereof for imparting a shaking motion to the screen, together with separately acting means forfeeding the waste across said screen.

30. In apparatus for reconditioning waste,

31. In apparatus for reconditioning waste, a screen, means for raising and dropping the screen together with vmeans for augmenting the speed of drop and separately acting means for feeding the waste across said screen.

32. In apparatus for reconditioning waste, a screen, means for shaking the screen and means for turning the Waste over on the screen and for moving the waste across the screen, the first and second mentioned means acting alternately. l l

33. In apparatus for reconditioning waste the combination of a screen, means for moving the screen upwardly and downwardly, toothed feeder plates mounted on pairs'of eccentrics and means for driving said eccen-trics lto cause the plates to feed the waste across the screen.

34. In apparatus for reconditioning waste the combination of a screen, means for moving the screen upwardly and downwardly,

toothed feeder plates mounted on pairs of eccentrics and means for driving said eccentrics in timed relation with the upward and downward movement ofithe screen.

35. In apparatus for reconditioning waste the combination of a screen, means for moving the screen upwardly relatively slowly and for dropping and jarrin the screen, toothed feeder plates mounted above the screen and means for driving said feederv blast creating and directing means including a dirt and lint collecting an outlet therefrom, means or feeding the waste into said blast and a screen in the pathI of the blast adjacent said chamber adapted to deflect the waste from said path but permit the flow of at least a portion of the volume of the blast therethrough with dirt and lint particles to said outlet.

38.I In apparatus for removing dirt and lint from used waste the combination of a screen, means for directing an air blast toward the lower side of said screen, a cylindrical screen at least partially in the path of said blast andmeans for rotating said cylindrical screen, the rotary movement of said cylindrical screen and the force of said blast serving to im act the waste against said first mentione screen.

39. In apparatus for-removing dirt and lint from used waste, a screen, means for directing an air blastagainst said screen and lchamber with iso means acting intermittently for feeding the waste into said blast.

40. In apparatus for reconditioning used waste, a plurality of Waste cleaning units having waste inlet and outlet passages intercommunicating serially t0 provide a continuous passage for the Waste from the inlet passage of the first unit to the outlet passage of the last unit.

41. In apparatus for `reconditioning used waste, a plurality of Waste cleaning units having waste inletand outlet passages intercommunicating serially to provide a continuous passage for the waste from the inlet passage of the first unit to the 'outlet passage of the last unit, together with means associated 'with each unit for feeding the Waste through the following unit.

42. In apparatus for reconditioning used Waste, a plurality of serially intercommunieating chambers, separate air blast creating and heatinf means associated With 'each chamber and means for directing each of the heated air blasts into an adjacent chamber.

43. In apparatus for reconditioning used waste, a plurality of serially intercommunicating chambers, separate air blast creating and heating means associated with each chamber and means for directing each of the heated air blasts into an adjacent chamber, together with means associated with each chamber for feeding the waste serially into said blasts as the waste passes from chamber to chamber.

44. In apparatus for reconditioning used i Waste, a plurality of serially intercommunicating chambers, separate air blast creating and heating means associated with each chamber and means for directing each of the heated air blasts into an adjacent chamber, together with means associated with each chamber for feeding the waste serially into said blasts as the Waste passes from chamber to chamber and screening means in the path of atleast one of said blasts positioned to deiect the body of the Waste out of such path.

45. Apparatus for reconditioning matted waste including a supporting element adapted to receive the Waste at one sidethereof and discharge the same at another side and a toothed feeder plate above said element and set at an angle to the plane thereof.

46. Apparatus for reconditioning matted waste including a supporting element adapted to receive the Waste at one side thereof and discharge the same at another side and a toothed feeder plate above said'element and set at an angle to the plane thereof, the angle being such that the teeth of the plate which overlie the first mentioned side of said element always remain farther from the surface of said element than the teeth at the other end of said plate.

47. In apparatus for reconditioning waste.

means for disentangling the matted condition of the Waste including a pair of members spaced to receive masses of -waste therebetween, one of said members being movable toward and away from the other member and being provided with teeth projecting toward the other.

48. In apparatus for reconditioning Waste, means for disentangling the matted condition of the Waste including a pair of members spaced to re'ceive masses of Waste therebetween and being relatively movable to alter the spacing, one of said members being provided with teeth projecting toward the other member.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

EDWIN S. PEARCE.

. CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION.A

Patent No. 1, 776,293. A Granted september'zs, 1930, tu

EDWIN S. PEARCE. -lt is hereby certified that error appears'in the printed specification of* the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 4, lines 65 and "66,

for "comprising a fan, lan air steam operated motor means." read comprising an air fan, a steam operated motor means; and that the said Letters Patent should 'be read with ths'correction there-in that the same-may conform to the record of V the ease in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealedthis 9th day of December, A. D. 1930.

\ M. J. Moore, (Seal.) 1 t Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

